Non-human animals having a humanized b-cell activating factor gene

ABSTRACT

Non-human animals, cells, methods and compositions for making and using the same are provided, wherein the non-human animals and cells comprise a humanized B-cell activating factor gene. Non-human animals and cells that express a human or humanized B-cell activating factor protein from an endogenous B-cell activating factor locus are described.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/242,071, filed Jan. 8, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/459,453, filed Mar. 15, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No.10,219,494, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/561,926, filed Dec. 5, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,629,347, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/537,312, filed Nov.10, 2014, now abandoned, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/905,983, filed Nov. 19, 2013, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Autoimmunity results when an organism's natural mechanisms forpreventing its immune system from attacking its own cells and tissuesbreak down. Diseases, disorders and conditions caused by breakdown, andby the aberrant self-directed immune responses that result, are referredto as autoimmune diseases. Notable examples of autoimmune diseases,disorders and conditions include diabetes mellitus, systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and some allergies.Autoimmune diseases are estimated to be among the ten leading causes ofdeath. Investment in the development of therapies for autoimmunediseases is in the multi-billion dollar range and critical in vivosystems to test, develop and validate candidate therapeutics arenecessary to ensure treatment safety and effectiveness. Further, such invivo systems are necessary in determining if new treatments can sustainlong term improvement in patients and, perhaps, can even provide curesfor many diseases that remain unaddressed. Such in vivo systems alsoprovide a source for assays in human hematopoietic and immune systemrelated functions in vivo, identification of novel therapies andvaccines.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention encompasses the recognition that it is desirableto engineer non-human animals to provide improved in vivo autoimmunedisease systems to permit the testing, development and validation of newand existing candidate therapeutics. The present invention alsoencompasses the recognition that it is desirable to engineer non-humananimals to permit improved activation and survival of human lymphocytes(e.g., B cells) post-immunization and post-engraftment of humanhematopoietic stem cells or B cells from human donors. The presentinvention also encompasses the recognition that non-human animals havinga humanized Baff gene and/or otherwise expressing, containing, orproducing a human or humanized Baff protein are desirable, for examplefor use in engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells or B cells fromhuman donors.

In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present inventionexpresses a Baff polypeptide comprising the extracellular portion of ahuman BAFF protein linked to the intracellular portion of a mouse Baffprotein.

In some embodiments, an extracellular portion of a human BAFF protein isencoded by exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene.

In some embodiments, exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene are at least 50%,at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, atleast 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 98%identical with exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears in Table3. In some embodiments, exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene are 100%identical with exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears in Table3.

In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention doesnot detectably express a full-length endogenous Baff protein. In someembodiments, the non-human animal is a rodent and does not detectablyexpress a full-length rodent Baff protein. In some embodiments, thenon-human animal is a mouse and does not detectably express afull-length mouse Baff protein whose sequence appears in Table 3.

In some embodiments, a Baff polypeptide of the present invention isexpressed from a genetically modified Baff gene at an endogenousnon-human Baff locus. In some certain embodiments, a geneticallymodified Baff gene comprises a non-human Baff exon 1. In some certainembodiments, a genetically modified Baff gene comprises a non-human Baffexon 2. In some certain embodiments, a genetically modified Baff genecomprises a non-human Baff exon 7 in whole or in part. In some certainembodiments, a genetically modified Baff gene comprises a non-human Baffexon 1 and exon 2. In some certain embodiments, a genetically modifiedBaff gene comprises a non-human Baff exon 1, a non-human Baff exon 2, anon-human Baff exon 7 in whole or in part, or a combination thereof. Invarious embodiments, a non-human Baff exon 7 in part comprises anon-human Baff 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and a non-human Baffpolyadenylation signal.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a non-human animalcomprising a genetically modified Baff gene that comprises one or moreexons of a human BAFF gene (i.e., a humanized Baff gene) operably linkedto a Baff promoter. In some embodiments, a Baff promoter of the presentinvention is a non-human Baff promoter. In some embodiments, a BAFFpromoter of the present invention is a human Baff promoter.

In some embodiments, a humanized Baff gene of the present inventioncomprises exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. In some certainembodiments, a humanized Baff gene further comprises a non-human Baffexon 1. In some certain embodiments, a humanized Baff gene furthercomprises a non-human Baff exon 2. In some certain embodiments, ahumanized BAFF gene further comprises a non-human Baff exon 7 in wholeor in part. In some certain embodiments, a humanized Baff gene comprisesa non-human Baff exon 1, exon 2 and a non-human Baff exon 7 in whole orin part. In various embodiments, a non-human Baff exon 7 in partcomprises a non-human Baff 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and a non-humanBaff polyadenylation signal.

In some embodiments, exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene are at least 50%,at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, atleast 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 98%identical with exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears in Table3. In some embodiments, exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene are 100%identical with exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears in Table3.

In various embodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention is arodent. In some certain embodiments, a rodent of the present inventionis selected from a mouse or a rat.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a humanized Bafflocus (or gene) comprising one or more exons of a non-human Baff geneoperably linked to one or more exons of a human BAFF gene.

In some embodiments, a humanized Baff locus (or gene) of the presentinvention comprises non-human Baff exons 1 and 2 operably linked tohuman BAFF exons 3 to 6. In some certain embodiments, a humanized Bafflocus (or gene) further comprises 5′ and 3′ non-human untranslatedregions (UTRs) flanking a non-human Baff exon 1 and a human BAFF exon 6.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a Baff polypeptideencoded by a humanized Baff locus, or gene, as described herein.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a cell or tissueisolated from a non-human animal as described herein. In someembodiments, a cell is selected from an astrocyte, dendritic cell,lymphocyte (e.g., a B or T cell), monocyte, neutrophils and a stromalcell. In some embodiments, a tissue is selected from adipose, bladder,brain, breast, bone marrow, eye, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung,lymph node, muscle, pancreas, plasma, serum, skin, spleen, stomach,thymus, testis, ovum, and/or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides an isolatednon-human (e.g., rodent) cell or tissue whose genome includes a Baffgene (or locus) comprising one or more exons of a non-human Baff geneoperably linked to one or more exons of a human BAFF gene. In somecertain embodiments, the present invention provides an isolatednon-human (e.g., rodent) cell or tissue whose genome includes a Baffgene (or locus) comprising non-human Baff exons 1 and 2 operably linkedto human BAFF exons 3 to 6, wherein the Baff gene (or locus) furthercomprises 5′ and 3′ non-human untranslated regions (UTRs) flanking thenon-human Baff exon 1 and the human BAFF exon 6. In some embodiments, aBaff gene (or locus) comprises a sequence that encodes a BAFFpolypeptide that comprises residues 142 to 285 of a human BAFF protein.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a non-humanembryonic stem (ES) cell whose genome comprises a Baff gene (or locus)as described herein. In some certain embodiments, the ES cell comprisesa Baff gene that encodes the extracellular portion of a human BAFFprotein linked to the intracellular portion of a mouse Baff protein. Insome certain embodiments, the ES cell comprises a Baff gene thatcomprises exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. In some certainembodiments, the ES cell is a rodent ES cell. In some embodiments, anon-human ES cell of the present invention is a mouse or rat ES cell.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides the use of anon-human embryonic stem cell as described herein to make a non-humananimal. In some certain embodiments, a non-human embryonic stem cell ismurine and is used to make a mouse comprising a Baff gene as describedherein.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a non-human embryocomprising, made from, obtained from, or generated from a non-humanembryonic stem cell comprises a Baff gene as described herein. In someembodiments, a non-human embryo of the present invention is a rodentembryo. In some embodiments, a rodent embryo as described herein is amouse or rat embryo.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of making anon-human animal that expresses a Baff protein from a humanized Baffgene at an endogenous Baff locus, wherein the Baff protein comprises ahuman sequence, the method comprising the steps of targeting anendogenous Baff gene (or locus) in a non-human embryonic stem (ES) cellwith a genomic fragment comprising a human nucleotide sequence thatencodes a human BAFF protein in whole or in part, obtaining a modifiednon-human embryonic stem (ES) cell comprising a humanized Baff gene atan endogenous Baff locus that comprises said human sequence, andcreating a non-human animal using said modified embryonic stem (ES)cell.

In some embodiments, said human nucleotide sequence comprises exons 3 to6 of a human BAFF gene. In some embodiments, said human nucleotidesequence comprises exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that are at least50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least98% identical with exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears inTable 3. In some certain embodiments, said human nucleotide sequencecomprises exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that are 100% identical withexons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene that appears in Table 3.

In some embodiments, said human nucleotide sequence encodes amino acidresidues 142 to 285 of a human BAFF protein. In some embodiments, saidhuman nucleotide sequence encodes amino acid residues 142-285 of a humanBAFF protein that are at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60/o, atleast 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, atleast 90%, at least 95%, or at least 98% identical with amino acidresidues 142-285 of a human BAFF protein that appears in Table 3. Insome certain embodiments, said human nucleotide sequence encodes aminoacid residues 142-285 of a human BAFF protein that are 100% identicalwith amino acid residues 142-285 of a human BAFF protein that appears inTable 3.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a mouse or a ratmade by, or obtained (or obtainable) from, a method as described herein.In some certain embodiments, a mouse or a rat made by, or obtained (orobtainable) from, a method as described herein does not detectablyexpress a full-length endogenous (e.g., mouse or rat) Baff protein.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofproviding a mouse whose genome includes a Baff gene that encodes theextracellular portion of a human BAFF protein linked to theintracellular portion of a mouse Baff protein, the method comprisingmodifying the genome of a mouse so that it comprises a Baff gene thatencodes the extracellular portion of a human BAFF protein linked to theintracellular portion of a mouse Baff protein thereby providing saidmouse. In some embodiments, a Baff gene is a Baff gene as describedherein. In some embodiments, a Baff gene is one that encodes a proteinwhose sequence reflects a humanized Baff protein that appears in Table3. In some certain embodiments, a Baff gene comprises exons 3 to 6 ahuman BAFF gene.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff gene of the present inventioncomprises exons 3, 4, 5 and 6 of a human BAFF gene. In variousembodiments, an extracellular portion of a humanized Baff protein of thepresent invention comprises amino acids corresponding to residues142-285 of a human BAFF protein that appears in Table 3. In some certainembodiments, a humanized Baff protein of the present invention comprisesa sequence of a humanized Baff protein that appears in Table 3. Invarious embodiments, a humanized Baff gene of the present invention isoperably linked to a mouse Baff promoter.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method ofengrafting human cells into a mouse, the method comprising steps ofproviding a mouse whose genome comprises a Baff gene that encodes theextracellular portion of a human BAFF protein linked to theintracellular portion of a mouse Baff protein (as described herein), andtransplanting one or more human cells into the mouse. In some certainembodiments, the method further comprises a step of assaying engraftmentof the one or more human cells in the mouse. In some certainembodiments, the step of assaying comprises comparing the engraftment ofthe one or more human cells to the engraftment in one or more wild-typemice or in one or more mice whose genome does not comprise a Baff genethat encodes the extracellular portion of a human BAFF protein linked tothe intracellular portion of a mouse Baff protein.

In some certain embodiments, the human cells are hematopoietic stemcells. In some certain embodiments, the human cells are human B cells.

In some embodiments, the human cells are transplanted intravenously. Insome embodiments, the human cells are transplanted intraperitoneally. Insome embodiments, the human cells are transplanted subcutaneously.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods foridentification or validation of a drug or vaccine, the method comprisingthe steps of delivering a drug or vaccine to a non-human animal asdescribed herein, and monitoring one or more of the immune response tothe drug or vaccine, the safety profile of the drug or vaccine, or theeffect on a disease or condition. In some embodiments, monitoring thesafety profile includes determining if the non-human animal exhibits aside effect or adverse reaction as a result of delivering the drug orvaccine. In some embodiments, a side effect or adverse reaction isselected from morbidity, mortality, alteration in body weight,alteration of the level of one or more enzymes (e.g., liver), alterationin the weight of one or more organs, loss of function (e.g., sensory,motor, organ, etc.), increased susceptibility to one or more diseases,alterations to the genome of the non-human animal, increase or decreasein food consumption and complications of one or more diseases.

In some embodiments, the present invention provides use of a non-humananimal of the present invention in the development of a drug or vaccinefor use in medicine, such as use as a medicament.

In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention arerodents, preferably a mouse or a rat.

As used in this application, the terms “about” and “approximately” areused as equivalents. Any numerals used in this application with orwithout about/approximately are meant to cover any normal fluctuationsappreciated by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention areapparent in the detailed description that follows. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description, while indicatingembodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustrationonly, not limitation. Various changes and modifications within the scopeof the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art fromthe detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The Drawing included herein, which is comprised of the followingFigures, is for illustration purposes only not for limitation.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram, not to scale, of the genomic organization ofmouse and human B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF) genes. Exons arenumbered beneath each exon.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram, not to scale, of an exemplary method forhumanization of a non-human B-cell Activating Factor (Baff) gene.Non-human sequences are shown as closed, black symbols. Human sequencesare shown in open, diagonal filled symbols. CM: Chloramphenicolselection cassette. Hyg: hygromycin selection cassette. SDC NEO:self-deleting neomycin selection cassette. Spec: spectinomycin selectioncassette. Frt: Flp recombinase target recognition site sequence. LoxP:Cre recombinase target recognition site sequence. Restriction enzymerecognition sites are indicated (e.g., AsiSI, I-CeuI, etc.).

DEFINITIONS

This invention is not limited to particular methods, and experimentalconditions described, as such methods and conditions may vary. It isalso to be understood that the terminology used herein is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intendedto be limiting, since the scope of the present invention is defined bythe claims.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms and phrases used herein include themeanings that the terms and phrases have attained in the art, unless thecontrary is clearly indicated or clearly apparent from the context inwhich the term or phrase is used. Although any methods and materialssimilar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in thepractice or testing of the present invention, particular methods andmaterials are now described. All publications mentioned are herebyincorporated by reference.

The term “approximately” as applied herein to one or more values ofinterest, refers to a value that is similar to a stated reference value.In certain embodiments, the term “approximately” or “about” refers to arange of values that fall within 25%, 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%,13%, 12%, 11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, or less ineither direction (greater than or less than) of the stated referencevalue unless otherwise stated or otherwise evident from the context(except where such number would exceed 100% of a possible value).

The term “biologically active” as used herein refers to a characteristicof any agent that has activity in a biological system, in vitro or invivo (e.g., in an organism). For instance, an agent that, when presentin an organism, has a biological effect within that organism, isconsidered to be biologically active. In particular embodiments, where aprotein or polypeptide is biologically active, a portion of that proteinor polypeptide that shares at least one biological activity of theprotein or polypeptide is typically referred to as a “biologicallyactive” portion.

The term “comparable”, as used herein, refers to two or more agents,entities, situations, sets of conditions, etc. that may not be identicalto one another but that are sufficiently similar to permit comparisonthere between so that conclusions may reasonably be drawn based ondifferences or similarities observed. Those of ordinary skill in the artwill understand, in context, what degree of identity is required in anygiven circumstance for two or more such agents, entities, situations,sets of conditions, etc. to be considered comparable.

The term “conservative” as used herein to describe a conservative aminoacid substitution refers to substitution of an amino acid residue byanother amino acid residue having a side chain R group with similarchemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity). In general, aconservative amino acid substitution will not substantially change thefunctional properties of interest of a protein, for example, the abilityof a receptor to bind to a ligand. Examples of groups of amino acidsthat have side chains with similar chemical properties include aliphaticside chains such as glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine;aliphatic-hydroxyl side chains such as serine and threonine;amide-containing side chains such as asparagine and glutamine; aromaticside chains such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan; basic sidechains such as lysine, arginine, and histidine; acidic side chains suchas aspartic acid and glutamic acid; and, sulfur-containing side chainssuch as cysteine and methionine. Conservative amino acids substitutiongroups include, for example, valine/leucine/isoleucine,phenylalanine/tyrosine, lysine/arginine, alanine/valine,glutamate/aspartate, and asparagine/glutamine. In some embodiments, aconservative amino acid substitution can be substitution of any nativeresidue in a protein with alanine, as used in, for example, alaninescanning mutagenesis. In some embodiments, a conservative substitutionis one that that has a positive value in the PAM250 log-likelihoodmatrix disclosed in Gonnet et al. (1992) Exhaustive Matching of theEntire Protein Sequence Database, Science 256:1443-45, herebyincorporated by reference. In some embodiments, a substitution is deemedto be “moderately conservative” if it has a nonnegative value in thePAM250 log-likelihood matrix.

The term “disruption” as used herein refers to the result of an eventthat interrupts (e.g., via homologous recombination) a DNA. In someembodiments, a disruption may achieve or represent a deletion,insertion, inversion, modification, replacement, substitution, or anycombination thereof, of a DNA sequence(s). In some embodiments, adisruption may achieve or represent introduction of a mutation, such asa missense, nonsense, or frame-shift mutation, or any combinationthereof, in a coding sequence(s) in DNA. In some embodiments, adisruption may occur in a gene or gene locus endogenous to a cell. Insome embodiments, insertions may include the insertion of entire genesor fragments of genes, e.g. exons, in to an endogenous site in a cell orgenome. In some embodiments, insertions may introduce sequences that areof an origin other than that of an endogenous sequence into which theyare inserted. In some embodiments, a disruption may increase expressionand/or activity of a gene or gene product (e.g., of a protein encoded bya gene). In some embodiments, a disruption may decrease expressionand/or activity of a gene or gene product. In some embodiments, adisruption may alter sequence of a gene or gene product (e.g., anencoded protein). In some embodiments, a disruption may truncate orfragment a gene or gene product (e.g., an encoded protein). In someembodiments, a disruption may extend a gene or gene product; in somesuch embodiments, a disruption may achieve assembly of a fusion protein.In some embodiments, a disruption may affect level but not activity of agene or gene product. In some embodiments, a disruption may affectactivity but not level of a gene or gene product. In some embodiments, adisruption may have no significant effect on level of a gene or geneproduct. In some embodiments, a disruption may have no significanteffect on activity of a gene or gene product. In some embodiments, adisruption may have no significant effect on either level or activity ofa gene or gene product.

The phrase “endogenous locus” or “endogenous gene” as used herein refersto a genetic locus found in a parent or reference organism prior tointroduction of a disruption (e.g., deletion, insertion, inversion,modification, replacement, substitution, or a combination thereof asdescribed herein). In some embodiments, an endogenous locus has asequence found in nature. In some embodiments, an endogenous locus iswild type. In some embodiments, a reference organism that contains anendogenous locus as described herein is a wild-type organism. In someembodiments, a reference organism that contains an endogenous locus asdescribed herein is an engineered organism. In some embodiments, areference organism that contains an endogenous locus as described hereinis a laboratory-bred organism (whether wild-type or engineered).

The phrase “endogenous promoter” refers to a promoter that is naturallyassociated, e.g., in a wild-type organism, with an endogenous gene.

The term “heterologous” as used herein refers to an agent or entity froma different source. For example, when used in reference to apolypeptide, gene, or gene product or present in a particular cell ororganism, the term clarifies that the relevant polypeptide, gene, orgene product 1) was engineered by the hand of man; 2) was introducedinto the cell or organism (or a precursor thereof) through the hand ofman (e.g., via genetic engineering); and/or 3) is not naturally producedby or present in the relevant cell or organism (e.g., the relevant celltype or organism type).

The term “host cell”, as used herein, refers to a cell into which aheterologous (e.g., exogenous) nucleic acid or protein has beenintroduced. Persons of skill upon reading this disclosure willunderstand that such terms refer not only to a particular subject cell,but also is used to refer to progeny of that cell. Because certainmodifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutationor environmental influences, such progeny may not, in fact, be identicalto the parent cell, but are still understood by those skilled in the artto be included within the scope of the term “host cell” as used herein.In some embodiments, a host cell is or comprises a prokaryotic oreukaryotic cell. In general, a host cell is any cell that is suitablefor receiving and/or producing a heterologous nucleic acid or protein,regardless of the Kingdom of life to which the cell is designated.Exemplary cells that may be utilized as host cells in accordance withthe present disclosure include those of prokaryotes and eukaryotes(single-cell or multiple-cell), bacterial cells (e.g., strains of E.coli, Bacillus spp., Streptomyces spp., etc.), mycobacteria cells,fungal cells, yeast cells (e.g., S. cerevisiae, S. pombe, P. pastoris,P. methanolica, etc.), plant cells, insect cells (e.g., SF-9, SF-21,baculovirus-infected insect cells, Trichoplusia ni, etc.), non-humananimal cells, human cells, or cell fusions such as, for example,hybridomas or quadromas. In some embodiments, the cell is a human,monkey, ape, hamster, rat, or mouse cell. In some embodiments, the cellis eukaryotic and is selected from the following cells: CHO (e.g., CHOK1, DXB-11 CHO, Veggie-CHO), COS (e.g., COS-7), retinal cell, Vero, CV1,kidney (e.g., HEK293, 293 EBNA, MSR 293, MDCK, HaK, BHK), HeLa, HepG2,WI38, MRC 5, Colo205, HB 8065, HL-60, (e.g., BHK21), Jurkat, Daudi, A431(epidermal), CV-1, U937, 3T3, L cell, C127 cell, SP2/0, NS-0, MMT060562, Sertoli cell, BRL 3A cell, HT1080 cell, myeloma cell, tumorcell, and a cell line derived from an aforementioned cell. In someembodiments, the cell comprises one or more viral genes, e.g., a retinalcell that expresses a viral gene (e.g., a PER.C6™ cell). In someembodiments, a host cell is or comprises an isolated cell. In someembodiments, a host cell is part of a tissue. In some embodiments, ahost cell is part of an organism.

The term “humanized”, is used herein in accordance with itsart-understood meaning to refer to nucleic acids or proteins whosestructures (i.e., nucleotide or amino acid sequences) include portionsthat correspond substantially or identically with versions of therelevant nucleic acids or proteins that are found in nature in non-humananimals and that are distinguishable from corresponding versions thatare found in nature in humans, and also include portions whosestructures differ from those present in the non-human-animal versionsand instead correspond more closely with comparable structures found inthe human versions. In some embodiments, a “humanized” gene is one thatencodes a polypeptide having substantially the amino acid sequence asthat of a human polypeptide (e.g., a human protein or portionthereof—e.g., characteristic portion thereof). To give but one example,in the case of a membrane receptor, a “humanized” gene may encode apolypeptide with an extracellular portion whose amino acid sequence isidentical or substantially identical to that of a human extracellularportion, and whose remaining sequence is identical or substantiallyidentical to that of a non-human (e.g., mouse) polypeptide. In someembodiments, a humanized gene comprises at least a portion of an DNAsequence of a human gene. In some embodiment, a humanized gene comprisesan entire DNA sequence found in a human gene. In some embodiments, ahumanized protein has an amino acid sequence that comprises a portionthat appears in a human protein. In some embodiments, a humanizedprotein has an amino acid sequence whose entire sequence is found in ahuman protein. In some embodiments (including, for example, some inwhich a humanized protein has an amino acid sequence whose entiresequence is found in a human protein), a humanized protein is expressedfrom an endogenous locus of a non-human animal, which endogenous locuscorresponds to the homolog or ortholog of the relevant human geneencoding the protein.

The term “identity” as used herein in connection with a comparison ofsequences, refers to identity as determined by any of a number ofdifferent algorithms known in the art that can be used to measurenucleotide and/or amino acid sequence identity. In some embodiments,identities as described herein are determined using a ClustalW v. 1.83(slow) alignment employing an open gap penalty of 10.0, an extend gappenalty of 0.1, and using a Gonnet similarity matrix (MACVECTOR™ 10.0.2,MacVector Inc., 2008). As used herein, the term “identity” refers to theoverall relatedness between polymeric molecules, e.g., between nucleicacid molecules (e.g., DNA molecules and/or RNA molecules) and/or betweenpolypeptide molecules. In some embodiments, polymeric molecules areconsidered to be “substantially identical” to one another if theirsequences are at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 99% identical. As will be understood bythose skilled in the art, a variety of algorithms are available thatpermit comparison of sequences in order to determine their degree ofhomology, including by permitting gaps of designated length in onesequence relative to another when considering which residues“correspond” to one another in different sequences. Calculation of thepercent identity between two nucleic acid sequences, for example, can beperformed by aligning the two sequences for optimal comparison purposes(e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a secondnucleic acid sequences for optimal alignment and non-correspondingsequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In certainembodiments, the length of a sequence aligned for comparison purposes isat least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, atleast 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or substantially 100% of thelength of the reference sequence. The nucleotides at correspondingnucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the firstsequence is occupied by the same nucleotide as the correspondingposition in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical atthat position. The percent identity between the two sequences is afunction of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences,taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap,which needs to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.Representative algorithms and computer programs useful in determiningthe percent identity between two nucleotide sequences include, forexample, the algorithm of Meyers and Miller (CABIOS, 1989, 4: 11-17),which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0) using aPAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gappenalty of 4. The percent identity between two nucleotide sequences can,alternatively, be determined for example using the GAP program in theGCG software package using an NWSgapdna.CMP matrix.

The term “isolated”, as used herein, refers to a substance and/or entitythat has been (1) separated from at least some of the components withwhich it was associated when initially produced (whether in natureand/or in an experimental setting), and/or (2) designed, produced,prepared, and/or manufactured by the hand of man. Isolated substancesand/or entities may be separated from about 10%, about 20%, about 30%,about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, about91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%,about 98%, about 99%, or more than about 99% of the other componentswith which they were initially associated. In some embodiments, isolatedagents are about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%,or more than about 99% pure. As used herein, a substance is “pure” if itis substantially free of other components. In some embodiments, as willbe understood by those skilled in the art, a substance may still beconsidered “isolated” or even “pure”, after having been combined withcertain other components such as, for example, one or more carriers orexcipients (e.g., buffer, solvent, water, etc.); in such embodiments,percent isolation or purity of the substance is calculated withoutincluding such carriers or excipients. To give but one example, in someembodiments, a biological polymer such as a polypeptide orpolynucleotide that occurs in nature is considered to be “isolated”when, a) by virtue of its origin or source of derivation is notassociated with some or all of the components that accompany it in itsnative state in nature; b) it is substantially free of otherpolypeptides or nucleic acids of the same species from the species thatproduces it in nature; c) is expressed by or is otherwise in associationwith components from a cell or other expression system that is not ofthe species that produces it in nature. Thus, for instance, in someembodiments, a polypeptide that is chemically synthesized or issynthesized in a cellular system different from that which produces itin nature is considered to be an “isolated” polypeptide. Alternativelyor additionally, in some embodiments, a polypeptide that has beensubjected to one or more purification techniques may be considered to bean “isolated” polypeptide to the extent that it has been separated fromother components a) with which it is associated in nature; and/or b)with which it was associated when initially produced.

The phrase “non-human animal” as used herein refers to a vertebrateorganism that is not a human. In some embodiments, a non-human animal isa cyclostome, a bony fish, a cartilaginous fish (e.g., a shark or aray), an amphibian, a reptile, a mammal, or a bird. In some embodiments,a non-human mammal is a primate, a goat, a sheep, a pig, a dog, a cow,or a rodent. In some embodiments, a non-human animal is a rodent such asa rat or a mouse.

The phrase “nucleic acid”, as used herein, in its broadest sense, refersto any compound and/or substance that is or can be incorporated into anoligonucleotide chain. In some embodiments, a nucleic acid is a compoundand/or substance that is or can be incorporated into an oligonucleotidechain via a phosphodiester linkage. As will be clear from context, insome embodiments, “nucleic acid” refers to one or more individualnucleic acid residues (e.g., nucleotides and/or nucleosides); in someembodiments, “nucleic acid” refers to an oligonucleotide chaincomprising individual nucleic acid residues. In some embodiments, a“nucleic acid” is or comprises RNA; in some embodiments, a “nucleicacid” is or comprises DNA. In some embodiments, a nucleic acid is,comprises, or consists of one or more natural nucleic acid residues. Insome embodiments, a nucleic acid is, comprises, or consists of one ormore analogs of a natural nucleic acid residue. In some embodiments, anucleic acid analog differs from a natural nucleic acid residue in thatit does not utilize a phosphodiester backbone. For example, in someembodiments, a nucleic acid is, comprises, or consists of one or more“peptide nucleic acids”, which are known in the art and have peptidebonds instead of phosphodiester bonds in the backbone, are consideredwithin the scope of the present invention. Alternatively oradditionally, in some embodiments, a nucleic acid has one or morephosphorothioate and/or 5′-N-phosphoramidite linkages rather thanphosphodiester bonds. In some embodiments, a nucleic acid is, comprises,or consists of one or more natural nucleosides (e.g., adenosine,thymidine, guanosine, cytidine, uridine, deoxyadenosine, deoxythymidine,deoxyguanosine, and deoxycytidine). In some embodiments, a nucleic acidis, comprises, or consists of one or more nucleoside analogs (e.g.,2-aminoadenosine, 2-thiothymidine, inosine, pyrrolo-pyrimidine, 3-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytidine, C-5 propynyl-cytidine, C-5propynyl-uridine, 2-aminoadenosine, C5-bromouridine, C5-fluorouridine,C5-iodouridine, C5-propynyl-uridine, C5-propynyl-cytidine,C5-methylcytidine, 2-aminoadenosine, 7-deazaadenosine, 7-deazaguanosine,8-oxoadenosine, 8-oxoguanosine, O(6)-methylguanine, 2-thiocytidine,methylated bases, intercalated bases, and combinations thereof). In someembodiments, a nucleic acid comprises one or more modified sugars (e.g.,2′-fluororibose, ribose, 2′-deoxyribose, arabinose, and hexose) ascompared with those in natural nucleic acids (i.e., comprises one ormore analogs of a natural nucleoside sugar). In some embodiments, anucleic acid has a nucleotide sequence that encodes a functional geneproduct such as an RNA or protein. In some embodiments, a nucleic acidhas a nucleotide sequence that includes one or more introns. Those ofordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a variety of technologiesare available and known in the art for the production of nucleic acids.For example, in some embodiments, nucleic acids are prepared by a methodselected from the group consisting of isolation from a natural source,enzymatic synthesis by polymerization based on a complementary template(in vivo or in vitro), reproduction in a recombinant cell or system,chemical synthesis, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, anucleic acid is at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35,40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140,150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 20, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400,425, 450, 475, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000,3500, 4000, 4500, 5000 or more residues long. In some embodiments, anucleic acid is single stranded; in some embodiments, a nucleic acid ispartially or fully double stranded (i.e., comprises at least twoindividual nucleic acid strands whose sequences include complementaryelements that hybridize to one another). In some embodiments a nucleicacid has a nucleotide sequence comprising at least one element thatencodes, or is the complement of a sequence that encodes, a polypeptide.In some embodiments, a nucleic acid has enzymatic activity.

The phrase “operably linked”, as used herein, refers to a physicaljuxtaposition (e.g., in three-dimensional space) of components orelements that interact, directly or indirectly with one another, orotherwise coordinate with each other to participate in a biologicalevent, which juxtaposition achieves or permits such interaction and/orcoordination. To give but one example. A control sequence (e.g., anexpression control sequence) in a nucleic acid is said to be “operablylinked” to a coding sequence when it is located relative to the codingsequence such that its presence or absence impacts expression and/oractivity of the coding sequence. In many embodiments, “operable linkage”involves covalent linkage of relevant components or elements with oneanother. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, however, thatin some embodiments, covalent linkage is not required to achieveeffective operable linkage. For example, in some embodiments, nucleicacid control sequences that are operably linked with coding sequencesthat they control are contiguous with the gene of interest.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, one or more suchcontrol sequences acts in trans or at a distance to control a codingsequence of interest. In some embodiments, the term “expression controlsequence” as used herein refers to polynucleotide sequences which arenecessary and/or sufficient to effect the expression and processing ofcoding sequences to which they are ligated. In some embodiments,expression control sequences may be or comprise appropriatetranscription initiation, termination, promoter and/or enhancersequences; efficient RNA processing signals such as splicing andpolyadenylation signals; sequences that stabilize cytoplasmic mRNA;sequences that enhance translation efficiency (e.g., Kozak consensussequence); sequences that enhance protein stability; and/or, in someembodiments, sequences that enhance protein secretion. In someembodiments, one or more control sequences is preferentially orexclusively active in a particular host cell or organism, or typethereof. To give but one example, in prokaryotes, control sequencestypically include promoter, ribosomal binding site, and transcriptiontermination sequence; in eukaryotes, in many embodiments, controlsequences typically include promoters, enhancers, and/or transcriptiontermination sequences. Those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate from context that, in many embodiments, the term “controlsequences” refers to components whose presence is essential forexpression and processing, and in some embodiments includes componentswhose presence is advantageous for expression (including, for example,leader sequences, targeting sequences, and/or fusion partner sequences).

The term “polypeptide”, as used herein, refers to any polymeric chain ofamino acids. In some embodiments, a polypeptide has an amino acidsequence that occurs in nature. In some embodiments, a polypeptide hasan amino acid sequence that does not occur in nature. In someembodiments, a polypeptide has an amino acid sequence that is engineeredin that it is designed and/or produced through action of the hand ofman.

The term “recombinant”, as used herein, is intended to refer topolypeptides (e.g., B cell activating factor proteins as describedherein) that are designed, engineered, prepared, expressed, created orisolated by recombinant means, such as polypeptides expressed using arecombinant expression vector transfected into a host cell, polypeptidesisolated from a recombinant, combinatorial human polypeptide library(Hoogenboom H. R., (1997) TIB Tech. 15:62-70: Azzazy H., and HighsmithW. E., (2002) Clin. Biochem. 35:425-445; Gavilondo J. V., and Larrick J.W. (2002) BioTechniques 29:128-145, Hoogenboom H., and Chames P. (2000)Immunology Today 21:371-378), antibodies isolated from an animal (e.g.,a mouse) that is transgenic for human immunoglobulin genes (see e.g.,Taylor, L. D., et al. (1992) Nucl. Acids Res. 20:6287-6295; KellermannS-A., and Green L. L. (2002) Current Opinion in Biotechnology13:593-597; Little M. et al (2000) Immunology Today 21:364-370) orpolypeptides prepared, expressed, created or isolated by any other meansthat involves splicing selected sequence elements to one another. Insome embodiments, one or more of such selected sequence elements isfound in nature. In some embodiments, one or more of such selectedsequence elements is designed in silico. In some embodiments, one ormore such selected sequence elements results from mutagenesis (e.g., invivo or in vitro) of a known sequence element, e.g., from a natural orsynthetic source. For example, in some embodiments, a recombinantpolypeptide is comprised of sequences found in the genome of a sourceorganism of interest (e.g., human, mouse, etc.). In some embodiments, arecombinant polypeptide has an amino acid sequence that resulted frommutagenesis (e.g., in vitro or in vivo, for example in a non-humananimal), so that the amino acid sequences of the recombinantpolypeptides are sequences that, while originating from and related topolypeptides sequences, may not naturally exist within the genome of anon-human animal in vivo.

The term “replacement” is used herein to refer to a process throughwhich a “replaced” nucleic acid sequence (e.g., a gene) found in a hostlocus (e.g., in a genome) is removed from that locus and a different,“replacement” nucleic acid is located in its place. In some embodiments,the replaced nucleic acid sequence and the replacement nucleic acidsequences are comparable to one another in that, for example, they arehomologous to one another and/or contain corresponding elements (e.g.,protein-coding elements, regulatory elements, etc.). In someembodiments, a replaced nucleic acid sequence includes one or more of apromoter, an enhancer, a splice donor site, a splice receiver site, anintron, an exon, an untranslated region (UTR); in some embodiments, areplacement nucleic acid sequence includes one or more coding sequences.In some embodiments, a replacement nucleic acid sequence is a homolog ofthe replaced nucleic acid sequence. In some embodiments, a replacementnucleic acid sequence is an ortholog of the replaced sequence. In someembodiments, a replacement nucleic acid sequence is or comprises a humannucleic acid sequence. In some embodiments, including where thereplacement nucleic acid sequence is or comprises a human nucleic acidsequence, the replaced nucleic acid sequence is or comprises a rodentsequence (e.g., a mouse sequence). The nucleic acid sequence so placedmay include one or more regulatory sequences that are part of sourcenucleic acid sequence used to obtain the sequence so placed (e.g.,promoters, enhancers, 5′- or 3′-untranslated regions, etc.). Forexample, in various embodiments, the replacement is a substitution of anendogenous sequence with a heterologous sequence that results in theproduction of a gene product from the nucleic acid sequence so placed(comprising the heterologous sequence), but not expression of theendogenous sequence; the replacement is of an endogenous genomicsequence with a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a protein that has asimilar function as a protein encoded by the endogenous sequence (e.g.,the endogenous genomic sequence encodes a Baff protein, and the DNAfragment encodes one or more human BAFF proteins). In variousembodiments, an endogenous gene or fragment thereof is replaced with acorresponding human gene or fragment thereof. A corresponding human geneor fragment thereof is a human gene or fragment that is an ortholog of,or is substantially similar or the same in structure and/or function, asthe endogenous gene or fragment thereof that is replaced.

The phrase “B-cell activating factor” or “BAFF” or “Baff” as used hereinrefers to a tumor necrosis family ligand, e.g., a TNF family ligand.BAFF is a type II membrane-bound protein, which can be released as asoluble ligand upon proteolytic processing at a furin cleavage site.BAFF proteins can form multimers (e.g., timers) depending on pHconditions. This characteristic is may be important for receptorbinding. BAFF is expressed on the surface of a cell and serves as aregulatory protein involved in interactions between membrane surfaceproteins on immune cells, e.g., B cells. Several variants, includingthose resulting from alternative splicing events, have been described inhuman subjects as well as in rodents. By way of illustration, nucleotideand amino acid sequences of mouse and human BAFF genes are provided inTable 3. Persons of skill upon reading this disclosure will recognizethat one or more endogenous Baff genes in a genome (or all) can bereplaced by one or more heterologous Baff genes (e.g., polymorphicvariants, subtypes or mutants, genes from another species, humanizedforms, etc.).

A “BAFF-expressing cell” as used herein refers to a cell that expressesa B-cell activating factor ligand. In some embodiments, aBAFF-expressing cell expresses a B-cell activating factor ligand on itssurface. In some embodiments, a BAFF protein is expressed on the surfaceof the cell in an amount sufficient to mediate cell-to-cell interactionsvia the BAFF protein expressed on the surface of the cell. In someembodiments, a BAFF-expressing cell express a B-cell activating factorligand in soluble form (i.e., not on the surface of a cell). ExemplaryBAFF-expressing cells include, but are not limited to, astrocytes,dendritic cells, monocytes, neutrophils and stromal cells. BAFFinteracts with receptors found predominantly on B cell lineages and isinvolved in the activation and survival of B cells. In some embodiments,non-human animals of the present invention demonstrate immune cellregulation via humanized Baff ligands expressed on the surface of onemore cells of the non-human animal. In some embodiments, non-humananimals of the present invention promote the long-term survival of Bcells in non-human animals that comprise heterologous hematopoietic stemcells (e.g., human). In some embodiments, non-human animals of thepresent invention promote the long-term survival of antigen-specific Bcells in non-human animals that comprise heterologous hematopoietic stemcells (e.g., human).

The term “substantially” as used herein refers to the qualitativecondition of exhibiting total or near-total extent or degree of acharacteristic or property of interest. One of ordinary skill in thebiological arts will understand that biological and chemical phenomenararely, if ever, go to completion and/or proceed to completeness orachieve or avoid an absolute result. The term “substantially” istherefore used herein to capture the potential lack of completenessinherent in many biological and chemical phenomena.

The phrase “substantial homology” as used herein refers to a comparisonbetween amino acid or nucleic acid sequences. As will be appreciated bythose of ordinary skill in the art, two sequences are generallyconsidered to be “substantially homologous” if they contain homologousresidues in corresponding positions. Homologous residues may beidentical residues. Alternatively, homologous residues may benon-identical residues will appropriately similar structural and/orfunctional characteristics. For example, as is well known by those ofordinary skill in the art, certain amino acids are typically classifiedas “hydrophobic” or “hydrophilic” amino acids, and/or as having “polar”or “non-polar” side chains. Substitution of one amino acid for anotherof the same type may often be considered a “homologous” substitution.Typical amino acid categorizations are summarized in Table 1 and 2.

As is well known in this art, amino acid or nucleic acid sequences maybe compared using any of a variety of algorithms, including thoseavailable in commercial computer programs such as BLASTN for nucleotidesequences and BLASTP, gapped BLAST, and PSI-BLAST for amino acidsequences. Exemplary such programs are described in Altschul, et al.,Basic local alignment search tool, J. Mol. Biol., 215(3): 403-410, 1990;Altschul, et al., Methods in Enzymology; Altschul, et al., “Gapped BLASTand PSI-BLAST: a new generation of protein database search programs”,Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402, 1997; Baxevanis, et al.,Bioinformatics: A Practical Guide to the Analysis of Genes and Proteins,Wiley, 1998; and Misener, et al., (eds.), Bioinformatics Methods andProtocols (Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 132), Humana Press, 1999.In addition to identifying homologous sequences, the programs mentionedabove typically provide an indication of the degree of homology. In someembodiments, two sequences are considered to be substantially homologousif at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%,94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more of their corresponding residues arehomologous over a relevant stretch of residues. In some embodiments, therelevant stretch is a complete sequence. In some embodiments, therelevant stretch is at least 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or moreresidues. In some embodiments, the relevant stretch includes contiguousresidues along a complete sequence. In some embodiments, the relevantstretch includes discontinuous residues along a complete sequence. Insome embodiments, the relevant stretch is at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,35, 40, 45, 50, or more residues.

TABLE 1 Alanine Ala A nonpolar neutral 1.8 Arginine Arg R polar positive−4.5 Asparagine Asn N polar neutral −3.5 Aspartic acid Asp D polarnegative −3.5 Cysteine Cys C nonpolar neutral 2.5 Glutamic acid Glu Epolar negative −3.5 Glutamine Gln Q polar neutral −3.5 Glycine Gly Gnonpolar neutral −0.4 Histidine His H polar positive −3.2 Isoleucine IleI nonpolar neutral 4.5 Leucine Leu L nonpolar neutral 3.8 Lysine Lys Kpolar positive −3.9 Methionine Met M nonpolar neutral 1.9 PhenylalaninePhe F nonpolar neutral 2.8 Proline Pro P nonpolar neutral −1.6 SerineSer S polar neutral −0.8 Threonine Thr T polar neutral −0.7 TryptophanTrp W nonpolar neutral −0.9 Tyrosine Tyr Y polar neutral −1.3 Valine ValV nonpolar neutral 4.2

TABLE 2 Ambiguous Amino Acids 3-Letter 1-Letter Asparagine or asparticacid Asx B Glutamine or glutamic acid Glx Z Leucine or Isoleucine Xle JUnspecified or unknown amino acid Xaa X

The phrase “substantial identity” as used herein refers to a comparisonbetween amino acid or nucleic acid sequences. As will be appreciated bythose of ordinary skill in the art, two sequences are generallyconsidered to be “substantially identical” if they contain identicalresidues in corresponding positions. As is well known in this art, aminoacid or nucleic acid sequences may be compared using any of a variety ofalgorithms, including those available in commercial computer programssuch as BLASTN for nucleotide sequences and BLASTP, gapped BLAST, andPSI-BLAST for amino acid sequences. Exemplary such programs aredescribed in Altschul, et al., Basic local alignment search tool, J.Mol. Biol., 215(3): 403-410, 1990; Altschul, et al., Methods inEnzymology; Altschul et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 25:3389-3402, 1997;Baxevanis et al., Bioinformatics: A Practical Guide to the Analysis ofGenes and Proteins, Wiley, 1998; and Misener, et al., (eds.),Bioinformatics Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol.132), Humana Press, 1999. In addition to identifying identicalsequences, the programs mentioned above typically provide an indicationof the degree of identity. In some embodiments, two sequences areconsidered to be substantially identical if at least 50/a, 55%, 60%,65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%,99% or more of their corresponding residues are identical over arelevant stretch of residues. In some embodiments, the relevant stretchis a complete sequence. In some embodiments, the relevant stretch is atleast 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, or more residues.

The phrase “targeting vector” or “targeting construct” as used hereinrefers to a polynucleotide molecule that comprises a targeting region. Atargeting region comprises a sequence that is identical or substantiallyidentical to a sequence in a target cell, tissue or animal and providesfor integration of the targeting construct into a position within thegenome of the cell, tissue or animal via homologous recombination.Targeting regions that target using site-specific recombinaserecognition sites (e.g., LoxP or Frt sites) are also included. In someembodiments, a targeting construct of the present invention furthercomprises a nucleic acid sequence or gene of particular interest, aselectable marker, control and or regulatory sequences, and othernucleic acid sequences that allow for recombination mediated throughexogenous addition of proteins that aid in or facilitate recombinationinvolving such sequences. In some embodiments, a targeting construct ofthe present invention further comprises a gene of interest in whole orin part, wherein the gene of interest is a heterologous gene thatencodes a protein in whole or in part that has a similar function as aprotein encoded by an endogenous sequence.

The term “variant”, as used herein, refers to an entity that showssignificant structural identity with a reference entity but differsstructurally from the reference entity in the presence or level of oneor more chemical moieties as compared with the reference entity. In manyembodiments, a variant also differs functionally from its referenceentity. In general, whether a particular entity is properly consideredto be a “variant” of a reference entity is based on its degree ofstructural identity with the reference entity. As will be appreciated bythose skilled in the art, any biological or chemical reference entityhas certain characteristic structural elements. A variant, bydefinition, is a distinct chemical entity that shares one or more suchcharacteristic structural elements. To give but a few examples, a smallmolecule may have a characteristic core structural element (e.g., amacrocycle core) and/or one or more characteristic pendent moieties sothat a variant of the small molecule is one that shares the corestructural element and the characteristic pendent moieties but differsin other pendent moieties and/or in types of bonds present (single vs.double, E vs. Z, etc.) within the core, a polypeptide may have acharacteristic sequence element comprised of a plurality of amino acidshaving designated positions relative to one another in linear orthree-dimensional space and/or contributing to a particular biologicalfunction, a nucleic acid may have a characteristic sequence elementcomprised of a plurality of nucleotide residues having designatedpositions relative to on another in linear or three-dimensional space.For example, a variant polypeptide may differ from a referencepolypeptide as a result of one or more differences in amino acidsequence and/or one or more differences in chemical moieties (e.g.,carbohydrates, lipids, etc.) covalently attached to the polypeptidebackbone. In some embodiments, a variant polypeptide shows an overallsequence identity with a reference polypeptide that is at least 85%,86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, or 99%.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, a variantpolypeptide does not share at least one characteristic sequence elementwith a reference polypeptide. In some embodiments, the referencepolypeptide has one or more biological activities. In some embodiments,a variant polypeptide shares one or more of the biological activities ofthe reference polypeptide. In some embodiments, a variant polypeptidelacks one or more of the biological activities of the referencepolypeptide. In some embodiments, a variant polypeptide shows a reducedlevel of one or more biological activities as compared with thereference polypeptide. In many embodiments, a polypeptide of interest isconsidered to be a “variant” of a parent or reference polypeptide if thepolypeptide of interest has an amino acid sequence that is identical tothat of the parent but for a small number of sequence alterations atparticular positions. Typically, fewer than 20%, 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%,6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2% of the residues in the variant are substituted ascompared with the parent. In some embodiments, a variant has 10, 9, 8,7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 substituted residue as compared with a parent.Often, a variant has a very small number (e.g., fewer than 5, 4, 3, 2,or 1) number of substituted functional residues (i.e., residues thatparticipate in a particular biological activity). Furthermore, a varianttypically has not more than 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 additions or deletions, andoften has no additions or deletions, as compared with the parent.Moreover, any additions or deletions are typically fewer than about 25,about 20, about 19, about 18, about 17, about 16, about 15, about 14,about 13, about 10, about 9, about 8, about 7, about 6, and commonly arefewer than about 5, about 4, about 3, or about 2 residues. In someembodiments, the parent or reference polypeptide is one found in nature.As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, a pluralityof variants of a particular polypeptide of interest may commonly befound in nature, particularly when the polypeptide of interest is aninfectious agent polypeptide.

The term “vector”, as used herein, refers to a nucleic acid moleculecapable of transporting another nucleic acid to which it is associated.In some embodiment, vectors are capable of extra-chromosomal replicationand/or expression of nucleic acids to which they are linked in a hostcell such as a eukaryotic and/or prokaryotic cell. Vectors capable ofdirecting the expression of operatively linked genes are referred toherein as “expression vectors.”

The term “wild-type”, as used herein, has its art-understood meaningthat refers to an entity having a structure and/or activity as found innature in a “normal” (as contrasted with mutant, diseased, altered,etc.) state or context. Those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that wild type genes and polypeptides often exist in multipledifferent forms (e.g., alleles).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides, among other things, improved and/orengineered non-human animals having humanized genetic material encodinga B-cell activating factor protein (e.g., Baff). In certain embodiments,such non-human animals are useful, for example, for assays in transplantengraftment, B cell activation and survival of antigen-specific B cellspost immunization. It is contemplated that such non-human animalsprovide an improvement in B cell activation and survival ofantigen-specific B cells post immunization post-engraftment of humanhematopoietic stem cells. Therefore, the present invention isparticularly useful for maintaining human hematopoietic cells innon-human animals. In particular, the present invention encompasses thehumanization of a rodent Baff gene resulting in expression of ahumanized protein on the plasma membrane surface of cells of thenon-human animal. Such humanized proteins have the capacity to recognizeengrafted human cells via engagement of humanized Baff proteins andligands/receptors present on the surface of the engrafted human cells.In some embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention arecapable of receiving transplanted human hematopoietic cells; in someembodiments, such non-human mammals develop and/or have an immune systemcomprising human cells. In some embodiments, humanized Baff proteinshave sequence encoded by exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. In someembodiments, non-human animals of the present invention comprise agenetically modified Baff gene that contains genetic material from thenon-human animal and a heterologous species (e.g., a human). In someembodiments, non-human animals of the present invention comprise ahumanized Baff gene, wherein the humanized Baff gene comprises exons 3,4, 5 and 6 of a human BAFF gene. In some embodiments, the expression ofthe humanized Baff protein is under the control of non-human Baffgenetic material (e.g., a non-human Baff promoter).

Various aspects of the invention are described in detail in thefollowing sections. The use of sections is not meant to limit theinvention. Each section can apply to any aspect of the invention. Inthis application, the use of “or” means “and/or” unless statedotherwise.

B-Cell Activating Factor (BAFF) Gene

B-cell activating factor (BAFF or Baff) is a member of the tumornecrosis factor (TNF) ligand superfamily and is expressed by manydifferent cell types including, but not limited to, astrocytes, B celllineage cells, dendritic cells, monocytes, neutrophils and stromalcells. BAFF (also referred to as tumor necrosis factor ligandsuperfamily member 13C, TNFSF13C, BAFF, BLYS, CD257, DTL, TALL-1, TALL1,THANK, TNFSF20 and ZTNF4) is expressed on the cell surface as a Type IItransmembrane protein and can be released in soluble form via cleavageat a furin consensus site after proteolysis. Soluble BAFF can exist inmultiple forms (e.g., timers, 60-mers) depending upon pH. The genestructure for BAFF in mouse and man differ slightly in that the formercontains an additional exon. In humans, exon 1 encodes the transmembranedomain, exon 2 encodes the furin cleavage site, and exons 3 to 6 encodethe TNF domain, which is responsible for receptor binding. In mouse,exon 1 encodes the transmembrane domain, exon 2 encodes the furincleavage site, exon 3 encodes additional amino acids between the furinsite and the TNF domain, and exons 4-7 encode the TNF domain. For bothmouse and man, alternative splice variants result in a deletion of aninterior portion of the protein which yield a variant referred to as“delta-BAFF” (or ΔBAFF). In humans, it is exon 3 that is skipped,whereas in mouse it is exon 4 that is skipped. ΔBAFF is still expressedon the cell surface, however, release of the soluble form is reportedlyprevented. Reported receptors for BAFF include, most notably, BAFFreceptor (BAFF-R), but also include transmembrane activator and calciummodulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) and B cell maturationantigen (BCMA). BAFF binds to both BAFF-R and TACI with strong affinity,whereas BAFF binds to BCMA with weak affinity.

The role of Baff, in particular, has been investigated in respect of itsrole in the activation and differentiation of B cells. For example,elevated levels of Baff in transgenic mice overexpressing mouse Baffwere found to promote the survival, tolerance and rescue of B cells withaffinity for self-antigens thereby promoting autoantibody secretion (Otaet al., 2010, J. Immunol. 185:4128-4136).

BAFF Sequences

Exemplary BAFF sequences for human and mouse are set forth in Table 3.For cDNA sequences, consecutive exons are separated by alternatingunderlined text. For protein sequences, predicted transmembrane regionsare underlined.

TABLE 3 Mouse Baff cDNA GGCACGAGGCAGATTGAGCAATCCATGGAAGGCCAGAGCCAGAGAANM_033622.1 CCTACTTCAGGGTAGCAAAAGATGCAGAAGAAAGTCAGGAGAGCGCTCCTGGGGGAACCCAGCCCTGCCATGCTCTGAGGGCAGTCTCCCAGGACACAGATGACAGGAAATGACCCACCCCTGTGGTCACTTACTCCAAAGGCCTAGACCTTCAAAGTGCTCCTCGTGGAATGGATGAGTCTGCAAAGACCCTGCCACCACCGTGCCTCTGTTTTTGCTCCGAGAAAGGAGAAGATATGAAAGTGGGATATGATCCCATCACTCCGCAGAAGGAGGAGGGTGCCTGGTTTGGGATCTGCAGGGATGGAAGGCTGCTGGCTGCTACCCTCCTGCTGGCCCTGTTGTCCAGCAGTTTCACAGCGATGTCCTTGTACCAGTTGGCTGCCTTGCAAGCAGACCTGATGAACCTGCGCATGGAGCTGCAGAGCTACCGAGGTTCAGCAACACCAGCCGCCGCGGGTGCTCCAGAGTTGACCGCTGGAGTCAAACTCCTGACACCGGCAGCTCCTCGACCCCACAACTCCAGCCGCGGCCACAGGAACAGACGCGCTTTCCAGGGACCAGAGGAAACAGAACAAGATGTAGACCTCTCAGCTCCTCCTGCRCCATGCCTGCCTGGATGCCGCCRTTCTCARCRTGATGATAATGGAATGAACCTCAGAAACATCATTCAAGACTGTCTGCAGCTGATTGCAGACAGCGACACGCCGACTATACGAAAAGGAACTTACACATTTGTTCCATGGCTTCTCAGCTTTAAAAGAGGAAATGCCTTGGAGGAGAAAGAGAACAAAATAGTGGTGAGGCAAACAGGCTATTTCTTCATCTACAGCCAGGTTCTATACACGGACCCCATCTTTGCTATGGGTCATGTCATCCAGAGGAAGAAAGTACACGTCTTTGGGGACGAGCTGAGCCTGGTGACCCTGTTCCGATGTATTCAGAATATGCCCAARACACTGCCCAACAATTCCTGCTACTCGGCTGGCATCGCGAGGCTGGAAGAAGGAGATGAGATTCAGCTTGCAATTCCTCGGGAGAATGCACAGATTTCACGCAACGGAGACGACACCTTCTTTGGTGCCCTAAAACTGCTGTAACTCACTTGCTGGAGTGCGTGATCCCCTTCCCTCGTCTTCTCTGTACCTCCGAGGGAGAAACAGACGACTGGAAAAACTAAAAGATGGGGAAAGCCGTCAGCGARAGTTTTCTCGTGACCCGTTGAATCTGATCCAAACCAGGAAATATAACAGACAGCCACAACCGAAGTGTGCCATGTGAGTTATGAGAAACGGAGCCCGCGCTCAGAAAGACCGGATGAGGAAGACCGTTTTCTCCAGTCCTTTGCCAACACGCACCGCAACCTTGCTTTTTGCCTTGGGTGACACATGTTCAGAATGCAGGGAGATTTCCTTGTTTTGCGATTTGCCATGAGAAGAGGGCCCACAACTGCAGGTCACTGAAGCATTCACGCTAAGTCTCAGGATTTACTCTCCCTTCTCATGCTAAGTACACACACGCTCTTTTCCAGGTAATACTATGGGATACTATGGAAAGGTTGTTTGTTTTTAAATCTAGAAGTCTTGAACTGGCAATAGACAAAAATCCTTATAAATTCAAGTGTAAAATAAACTTAATTAAAAAGGTTTAAGTGTG AAARARAA (SEQ ID NO: 1)Mouse Baff Proton MDESAKTLPPPCLCFCSEKGEDMKVGYDPITPQKEEGAWFGICRDGNP_296371.1 RLLAATLLLALLSSSFTAMSLYQLAALQADLMNLRMELQSYRGSATPAAAGAPELTAGVKLLTPAAPRPHNSSRGHRNRRAFQGPEETEQDVDLSAPPAPCLPGCRHSQHDDNGMNLRNIIQDCLQLIADSDTPTIRKGTYTEVPWLLSFKRGNALEEKENKIVVRQTGYFFIYSQVLYTDPIFAMGHVIQRKKVHVFGDELSLVTLFRCIQNMPKTLPNNSCYSAGIARLEEGDEIQLAIPRENAQISRNGDDIFFGALKLL (SEQ ID NO: 2) Mouse ΔBAFF ProteinMDESAKTLPPPCLCFCSEKGEDMKVGYDPITPQKEEGAWFGICRDG AY290823.1RLLAATLLLALLSSSFTAMSLYQLAALQADLMNLRMELQSYRGSATPAAAGAPELTAGVKLLTPAAPRPHNSSRGHRNRRAFQGPEETEQDVDLSAPPAPCLPGCRHSQHDDNGMNLRNRTYTFVPWLLSFKRGNALEEKENKIVVRQTGYFFIYSQVLYTDPIFAMGHVIQRKKVHVEGDELSLVTLFRCIQNMPKTLPNNSCYSAGIARLEEGDEIQLAIPRENAQISRNGDDTFFGALKLL (SEQ ID NO: 3) Human BAFF cDNAGAAATTCTTACAAAAACTGAAAGTGAAATGAGGAAGACAGATTGAG NM_006573.4CAATCCAATCGGAGGGTAAATGCCAGCAAACCTACTGTACAGTAGGGGTAGAGATGCAGAAAGGCAGAAAGGAGAAAATTCAGGATAACTCTCCTGAGGGGTGAGCCAAGCCCTGCCATGTAGTGCACGCAGGACATCAACAAACACAGATTAACAGGAAATGATCCATTCCCTGTGGTCACTTTTCTAAAGGCCCCAACCTTCAAAGTTCAAGTAGTGATATGGATGACTCCACAGAAAGGGAGCAGTCACGCCTTACTTCTTGCCTTAAGAAAAGAGAAGAAATGAAACTGAAGGAGTGTGTTTCCATCCTCCCACGGAAGGAAAGCCCCTCTGTCCGATCCTCCAAAGACGGAAAGCTGCTGGCTGCAACCTTGCTGCTGGCACTGCTGTCTTGCTGCCTCACGGTGGTGTCTTTCTACCAGGTGGCCGCCCTGCAAGGGGACCTGGCCAGCCTCCGGGCAGAGCTGCAGGGCCACCACGCGGAGAAGCTGCCAGCAGGAGCAGGAGCCCCCAAGGCCGGCCTGGAGGAAGCTCCAGCTGTCACCGCGGGACTGAAAATCTTTGAACCACCAGCTCCAGGAGAAGGCAACTCCAGTCAGAACAGCAGAAATAAGCGTGCCGTTCAGGGTCCAGAAGAAACAGTCACTCAAGACTGCTTGCAACTGATTGCAGACAGTGAAACACCAACTATACAAAAAGGATCTTACACATTTGTTCCATGGCTTCTCAGCTTTAAAAGGGGAAGTGCCCTAGAAGAAAAAGAGAATAAAATATTGGTCAAAGAAACTGGTTACTTTTTTATATATGGTCAGGTTTTATATACTGATAAGACCTACGCCATGGGACATCTAATTCAGAGGAAGAAGGTCCATGTCTTTGGGGATGAATTGAGTCTGGTGACTTTGTTTCGATGTATTCAAAATATGCCTGAAACACTACCCAATAATTCCTGCTATTCAGCTGGCATTGCAAAACTGGAAGAAGGAGATGAACTCCAACTTGCAATACCAAGAGAAAATGCACAAATATCACTGGATGGAGATGTCACATTTTTTGGTGCATTGAAACTGCTGTGACCTACTTACACCATGTCTGTAGCTATTTTCCTCCCTTTCTCTGTACCTCTAAGAAGAAAGAATCTAACTGAAAATACCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGTAGTTACCATTGCCTTTTCTGTGAGCTATTTGTTTTGGTTTGCTGAAACTAGTCCAAAACAGGAAATTTAACAGACAGCCACAGCCAAAGAGTGTCATGTGAATTACAAGAAATAGAGCCCATTTAGGGAAAGATAGAACTAGAAAGGCTTTTCATTATAATTCCATGTTGAACAATTGAGTCATAGCTTCTTATCTTGGAGGAAGGACACAATTCAAAGGGGCAGTAAGGATTTTGTAAAACGTGGCATCCATAATTTACTATGGAGCAAGTGCCCACATCTCTAGGACATTAAGACATTTATGAGAAATCTCAGGATTCATCTTCTGTTTTTATGTTAAATGCACTCCCTCCTTTTCAGTTAACATTATAAAAAGTAAAAAATGAAAATTTTAGAAATCTTGCATTAGACACATGAAAAAATAACTAAAAGTTTAAATTTAAATATGAAACAATTTTGCTGAAAATAGTATCCATATACTATTTAAGTCTTTTATGGTTATTTCAAGTATACAATTTCTATCTGTAATGTAATATATTACCCACACATTTTTTTCACAGGAGAGAGAGAATATCCTCATTTGTTTATGCTCATGTGTATTTTCTATAGTGAATTTCAGAAACTTTTAATATCAGGTAATTTCAATTTATGCCTATAAAGCATTGATTGAAAAATAACTAGAATTGTGCATATATAACACATAATCTCCAACAGAAGTTACTGAATACATTCATACTAATGTAATGTSSTTTCCCTTTATTTCTTGCTCTTCTGTTTCAAACTGCTGCTATTGTAGTTTACATATCCCAACCTTTAAAAATATTCCTCTTATTAGCTTTATATTCACTTTATAGAAGTTGAGTTTTAATTAAAATTCTTGGCATCCTGAAGTATGTCACATAGCATGTGCTCCTTATAAATATGTTGATATCTCAGAAGACAGCATCCCGGTTTTCATTTTATAAAGTACCATACTTAAGAATGCTGTAATACTTATCTTTTATAACATGTTTCCTTCGCTTTGCTTGTCTTTTATGTCATCAGTTTTAACTGTTTACTTCATTTAACAGTTTACATCATTCAACAGTTTACTTCATTAAACAGTAGGTGGAAAAATAGATGCCAGTCTATGAAAATCTTCCCATCTATATCAAAATACTTTTCAAGGATATACTTTTCAAAACAAACGATTTAAATTTTATGTTTAAAATATAAACTTTAGATTTAAACTTTATTTAAATATCTGGTTCCTATGATTTTGACTTCAGTAAGTTCAAATAAAATATATTTTGCAATTCATTTTTACATTATAATTTAAAAAGAAGAAGCGATAAGTGGAGTCAGTTTCAATGCTAGGTGGGGTGGTTAATGATTTTTCTGGTGTTGCTGCTAATGTGGATTAACAAATAAAAACATTCATTGCCTTTTGGCT CATAAAA (SEQ ID NO: 4)Human BAFF Protein MDDSTEREQSRLTSCLKKREEMKLKECVSILPRKESPSVRSSKDGKNP_006564.1 LLAAILLLALLSCCLTVVSFYQVAALQGDLASLRAELQGHHAEKLPAGAGAPKAGLEEAPAVTAGLKIFEPPAPGEGNSSQNSRNKRAVQGPEETVTQDCLQLIADSETPTIQKGSYTFVPWLLSFKRGSALEEKENKILVKETGYFFIYGQVLYTDKTYAMGHLIQRKKVHVFGDELSLVTLFRCIQNMPETLPNNSCYSAGIAKLEEGDELQLAIPRENAQISLDGDV TFFGALKLL (SEQ ID NO: 5)HUman ΔBAFF Protein MDDSTEREQSRLTSCLKKREEMKLKECVSTLPRKESPSVRSSKDGKAY302751.1 LLAATLLLALLSCCLTVVSFYQVAALQGDLASLRAELQGHHAEKLPAGAGAPKAGLEEAPAVTAGLKIFEPPAPGEGNSSQNSRNKRAVQGPEETGSYTFVPWLLSFKRGSALEEKENKILVKETGYFFIYGQVLYTDKTYAMGHLIQRKKVHVFGDELSLVTLFRCIQNMPETLPNNSCYSAGIAKLEEGDELQLAIPRENAQISLDGDVTFFGALKLL (SEQ ID NO: 6)Humanized Baff Protein MDESAKTLPPPCLCFCSEKGEDMKVGYDPITPQKEEGAWFGICRDGRLLAATLLLALLSSSFTAMSLYQLAALQADLMNLRMELQSYRGSATPAAAGAPELTAGVKLLTPAAPRPHNSSRGHRNRRAFQGPEETVTQDCLQLIADSETPTIQKGSYTFVPWLLSFKRGSALEEKENKILVKETGYFFIYGQVLYTDKTYAMGHLIQRKKVHVFGDELSLVTLFRCIQNMPETLPNNSCYSAGIAKLEEGDELQLAIPRENAQISLDGDVTFFGALK LL (SEQ ID NO: 7)

Humanized Baff Non-Human Animals

Non-human animals are provided that express genetically modified (e.g.,humanized) Baff proteins on the surface of cells (e.g., dendritic cells)of the non-human animals. Specifically, the present invention providesnon-human animals that express genetically modified (e.g., humanized)Baff proteins on the surface of their cells, the proteins being encodedby and/or expressed from a genetic modification of an endogenous locusof the non-human animal that encodes a Baff protein. Suitable examplespresented herein specifically exemplify rodents, in particular, mice.

A genetically modified Baff gene, in some embodiments, comprises geneticmaterial from a heterologous species (e.g., humans), wherein thegenetically modified Baff gene encodes a Baff protein that comprises theencoded portion of the genetic material from the heterologous species.In some embodiments, a genetically modified Baff gene of the presentinvention comprises genomic DNA of a heterologous species thatcorresponds to the extracellular portion of a Baff protein that isexpressed on the plasma membrane of a cell. Non-human animals, embryos,cells and targeting constructs for making non-human animals, non-humanembryos, and cells containing said genetically modified Baff gene arealso provided.

In some embodiments, the endogenous Baff gene is deleted. In someembodiments, the endogenous Baff gene is altered, wherein a portion ofthe endogenous Baff gene is replaced with a heterologous sequence (e.g.,a human BAFF gene sequence, in whole or in part). In some embodiments,all or substantially all of the endogenous Baff gene is replaced with aheterologous gene (e.g., a human BAFF gene). In some embodiments, aportion of a heterologous Baff gene is inserted into an endogenousnon-human Baff gene. In some embodiments, the heterologous gene is ahuman gene.

A non-human animal of the present invention contains a human BAFF gene,in whole or in part, at an endogenous non-human Baff locus. Thus, suchnon-human animals can be described as having a humanized Baff gene. Thereplaced, inserted or modified endogenous Baff gene (i.e., the humanizedBaff gene) can be detected using a variety of methods including, forexample, PCR, Western blot, Southern blot, restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (RFLP), or a gain or loss of allele assay.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff gene according to the presentinvention includes a Baff gene that has a third, fourth, fifth, andsixth exon each having a sequence at least 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%,65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%,99% or more) identical to a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth exon thatappear in a human BAFF gene of Table 3.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff gene according to the presentinvention includes a Baff gene that has a nucleotide coding sequence(e.g., a cDNA sequence) at least 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more)identical to nucleotides 692-2671 that appear in a human BAFF cDNAsequence of Table 3.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff protein produced by a non-humananimal of the present invention has an extracellular portion having asequence that is at least 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%,85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) identicalto an extracellular portion of a human BAFF protein that appears inTable 3.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff protein produced by a non-humananimal of the present invention has an extracellular portion having asequence that is at least 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%,85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) identicalto amino acid residues 142 to 285 that appear in a human BAFF protein ofTable 3.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff protein produced by a non-humananimal of the present invention has an amino acid sequence that is atleast 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90°/%, 91%,92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) identical to an aminoacid sequence of a humanized Baff protein that appears in Table 3.

In various embodiments, a humanized Baff protein produced by a non-humananimal of the present invention has an amino acid sequence that is atleast 50% (e.g., 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%,93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) identical to an amino acidsequence of a human BAFF protein that appears in Table 3.

Compositions and methods for making non-human animals that expresses ahumanized Baff protein, including specific polymorphic forms or allelicvariants (e.g., single amino acid differences, alternative splicevariants, etc.), are provided, including compositions and methods formaking non-human animals that expresses such proteins from a humanpromoter and a human regulatory sequence or, optionally, from anon-human promoter and a non-human regulatory sequence. In someembodiments, compositions and methods for making non-human animals thatexpresses such proteins from an endogenous promoter and an endogenousregulatory sequence are also provided. The methods include inserting thegenetic material encoding a human BAFF protein, in whole or in part, ata precise location in the genome of a non-human animal that correspondsto an endogenous Baff gene thereby creating a humanized Baff gene thatexpresses a BAFF protein that is human, in whole or in part. In someembodiments, the methods include inserting genomic DNA corresponding toexons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene into an endogenous Baff gene of thenon-human animal thereby creating a humanized gene that encodes a Baffprotein that contains a human portion containing amino acids encoded bythe inserted exons.

A humanized Baff gene approach employs a relatively minimal modificationof the endogenous gene and results in natural Baff-mediated signaltransduction in the non-human animal, in various embodiments, becausethe genomic sequence of the Baff gene is modified in a single fragmentand therefore retain normal functionality by including necessaryregulatory sequences. Thus, in such embodiments, the Baff genemodification does not affect other surrounding genes or other endogenousBaff genes. Further, in various embodiments, the modification does notaffect the assembly of a functional transmembrane protein on the plasmamembrane and maintains normal association with its receptors via bindingand interaction of the extracellular portion with a given receptor whichis unaffected by the modification.

A schematic illustration (not to scale) of endogenous murine and humanBAFF genes is provided in FIG. 1. A schematic illustration (not toscale) of a humanized Baff gene is provided in FIG. 2. As illustrated,genomic DNA containing exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene is insertedinto an endogenous murine Baff gene by a targeting construct. Thisgenomic DNA comprises the portion of the gene that encodes theextracellular portion (e.g., amino acid residues 142 to 285) of a humanBAFF protein responsible for receptor binding.

A non-human animal (e.g., a mouse) having a humanized Baff gene can bemade by any method known in the art. For example, a targeting vector canbe made that introduces a human BAFF gene, in whole or in part, with aselectable marker gene. FIG. 2 illustrates a mouse genome comprising aninsertion of exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. As illustrated, thetargeting construct contains unique 5′ and 3′ restriction endonucleasesites which allow for the precise insertion of the human geneticmaterial comprising exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. The targetingconstruct also contains a self-deleting drug selection cassette (e.g., aneomycin resistance gene flanked on both sides by LoxP sequences; seeU.S. Pat. Nos. 8,354,389 and 8,518,392, both of which are hereinincorporated by reference), which is positioned 3′ genetic materialcomprising exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. Upon digestion andreligation, exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene are inserted into anendogenous murine Baff gene that has been specifically engineered toaccept the human sequence contained in the targeting vector. A humanizedBaff gene is created resulting in a cell or non-human animal thatexpresses a humanized Baff protein that contains amino acids encoded byexons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene. The drug selection cassette will beremoved in a development-dependent manner, i.e., progeny derived frommice whose germ line cells containing the humanized Baff gene describedabove will shed the selectable marker from differentiated cells duringdevelopment.

The non-human animals of the present invention may be prepared asdescribed above, or using methods known in the art, to compriseadditional human or humanized genes, oftentimes depending on theintended use of the non-human animal. Genetic material of suchadditional human or humanized genes may be introduced through thefurther alteration of the genome of cells (e.g., embryonic stem cells)having the genetic modifications as described above or through breedingtechniques known in the art with other genetically modified strains asdesired. In some embodiments, non-human animals of the present inventionare prepared to further comprise one or more human or humanized genesselected from BAFF-R, TACI, and BCMA. In some embodiments, non-humananimals of the present invention are prepared to further comprise ahuman or humanized A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL) gene. In someembodiments, non-human animals of the present invention are prepared tofurther comprise a human or humanized TNF-related weak inducer ofapoptosis (TWEAK). In some embodiments, non-human animals of the presentinvention comprise a humanized Baff gene as described herein and geneticmaterial from a heterologous species (e.g., humans), wherein the geneticmaterial encodes, in whole or in part, one or more heterologous proteinsselected from BAFF-R, TACI, BCMA, APRIL and TWEAK.

In addition to mice having humanized Baff genes as described herein,also provided herein are other genetically modified non-human animalsthat comprise humanized Baff genes. In some embodiments, such non-humananimals comprise a humanized Baff gene operably linked to an endogenousBaff promoter sequence. In some embodiments, such non-human animalsexpress a humanized BAFF protein from an endogenous Baff locus, whereinthe humanized Baff protein comprises amino acid residues 142 to 285 of ahuman BAFF protein.

Such non-human animals may be selected from the group consisting of amouse, rat, rabbit, pig, bovine (e.g., cow, bull, buffalo), deer, sheep,goat, chicken, cat, dog, ferret, primate (e.g., marmoset, rhesusmonkey). For the non-human animals where suitable genetically modifiableES cells are not readily available, other methods are employed to make anon-human animal comprising the genetic modifications as describedherein. Such methods include, e.g., modifying a non-ES cell genome(e.g., a fibroblast or an induced pluripotent cell) and employingnuclear transfer to transfer the modified genome to a suitable cell,e.g., an oocyte, and gestating the modified cell (e.g., the modifiedoocyte) in a non-human animal under suitable conditions to form anembryo.

In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention is amammal. In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present inventionis a small mammal, e.g., of the superfamily Dipodoidea or Muroidea. Insome embodiments, a genetically modified animal of the present inventionis a rodent. In some embodiments, a rodent of the present invention isselected from a mouse, a rat, and a hamster. In some embodiments, arodent of the present invention is selected from the superfamilyMuroidea. In some embodiments, a genetically modified animal of thepresent invention is from a family selected from Calomyscidae (e.g.,mouse-like hamsters), Cricetidae (e.g., hamster, New World rats andmice, voles), Muridae (true mice and rats, gerbils, spiny mice, crestedrats), Nesomyidae (climbing mice, rock mice, with-tailed rats, Malagasyrats and mice), Platacanthomyidae (e.g., spiny dormice), and Spalacidae(e.g., mole rates, bamboo rats, and zokors). In some certainembodiments, a genetically modified rodent of the present invention isselected from a true mouse or rat (family Muridae), a gerbil, a spinymouse, and a crested rat. In some certain embodiments, a geneticallymodified mouse of the present invention is from a member of the familyMuridae. In some embodiment, an non-human animal of the presentinvention is a rodent. In some certain embodiments, a rodent of thepresent invention is selected from a mouse and a rat. In someembodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention is a mouse.

In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention is arodent that is a mouse of a C57BL strain selected from C57BL/A,C57BL/An, C57BL/GrFa, C57BL/KaLwN, C57BL/6, C57BL/6J, C57BL/6ByJ,C57BL/6NJ, C57BL/10, C57BL/10ScSn, C57BL/10Cr, and C57BL/Ola. In somecertain embodiments, a mouse of the present invention is a 129 strainselected from the group consisting of a strain that is 129P1, 129P2,129P3, 129X1, 129S1 (e.g., 129S1/SV, 129S1/SvIm), 129S2, 129S4, 129S5,129S9/SvEvH, 129/SvJae, 129S6 (129/SvEvTac), 129S7, 12958, 129T1, 129T2(see, e.g., Festing et al., 1999, Mammalian Genome 10:836; Auerbach etal., 2000, Biotechniques 29(5):1024-1028, 1030, 1032). In some certainembodiments, a genetically modified mouse of the present invention is amix of an aforementioned 129 strain and an aforementioned C57BL/6strain. In some certain embodiments, a mouse of the present invention isa mix of aforementioned 129 strains, or a mix of aforementioned BL/6strains. In some certain embodiments, a 129 strain of the mix asdescribed herein is a 129S6 (129/SvEvTac) strain. In some embodiments, amouse of the present invention is a BALB strain, e.g., BALB/c strain. Insome embodiments, a mouse of the present invention is a mix of a BALBstrain and another aforementioned strain.

In some embodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention is arat. In some certain embodiments, a rat of the present invention isselected from a Wistar rat, an LEA strain, a Sprague Dawley strain, aFischer strain, F344, F6, and Dark Agouti. In some certain embodiments,a rat strain as described herein is a mix of two or more strainsselected from the group consisting of Wistar, LEA, Sprague Dawley,Fischer, F344, F6, and Dark Agouti.

Methods Employing Non-Human Animals Having Humanized BAFF Genes

Baff transgenic non-human animals (e.g., mice) have been reported(Mackay et al., 1999, J. Exp. Med. 190(11):1697-1710; Khare et al.,2000, PNAS 97(7):3370-3375; Gavin et al., 2005, J. Immunol.175:319-328). Such animals have been employed in a variety of assays todetermine the molecular aspects of BAFF expression, function andregulation. However, they are not without limitation. For example, useof Baff transgenic mice have been limited due to overexpression ofmurine Baff (e.g., full-length Baff or ΔBaff). Overexpression of Baff intransgenic mice leads to several B cell abnormalities characterized by,inter alia, excessive accumulation and activation of B cells, andautoimmune disease through proliferation of auto-reactive B cells. Insome cases, transgenic mice overexpressing murine BAFF have increasedlevels of serum immunoglobulin (e.g., IgM, IgG, IgE, etc.). Further,transgenic mice overexpressing murine Baff demonstrate otherabnormalities such as glomerulonephritis. Therefore, the molecularaspects of BAFF-mediated biological function and signaling pathways hasnot been exploited in transgenic mice.

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an improved in vivosystem and source of biological materials (e.g., cells) expressing humanBAFF that are useful for a variety of assays. In various embodiments,non-human animals of the present invention are used to developtherapeutics that target human BAFF and/or modulate BAFF-mediatedsignaling pathways. In various embodiments, mice of the presentinvention are used to screen and develop candidate therapeutics (e.g.,antibodies) that bind to human BAFF. In various embodiments, non-humananimals of the present invention are used to determine the bindingprofile of antagonists and/or agonists a humanized Baff on the surfaceof a cell of a non-human animal as described herein.

In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention areused to measure the therapeutic effect of blocking or modulating humanBAFF signal transduction (e.g., phosphorylation) and the effect on geneexpression as a result of cellular changes. In various embodiments,non-human animals of the present invention are used to measure thetherapeutic effect of blocking or modulating human BAFF-BAFFR,BAFF-TACI, and/or BAFF-BCMA signaling pathways, for example, themodulation of NF-κB-mediated transcription of DNA. In variousembodiments, a non-human animal of the present invention or cellsisolated therefrom are exposed to a candidate therapeutic that binds toa human BAFF protein on the surface of a cell of the non-human animaland, after a subsequent period of time, analyzed for effects onBAFF-dependent processes, for example, B activation, regulation of thenumbers of specific B cell subsets in various compartments (e.g.,spleen, bone marrow, lymph node, etc.), survival of auto-reactive Bcells, and NF-κB activation.

Non-human animals of the present invention express humanized Baffprotein, thus cells, cell lines, and cell cultures can be generated toserve as a source of humanized Baff for use in binding and functionalassays, e.g., to assay for binding or function of a BAFF antagonist oragonist, particularly where the antagonist or agonist is specific for ahuman BAFF sequence or epitope. In various embodiments, a humanized Baffprotein expressed by a non-human animal as described herein may comprisea variant amino acid sequence. Variant human BAFF proteins havingvariations associated with ligand binding residues have been reported.In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present inventionexpress a humanized Baff protein variant. In various embodiments, thevariant is polymorphic at an amino acid position associated with ligandbinding. In various embodiments, non-human animals of the presentinvention are used to determine the effect of ligand binding throughinteraction with a polymorphic variant of human BAFF. In some certainembodiments, non-human animals of the present invention express a humanBAFF splice variant protein that appears in Table 3.

Cells from non-human animals of the present invention can be isolatedand used on an ad hoc basis, or can be maintained in culture for manygenerations. For example, cells from non-human animals of the presentinvention can be used in a variety of cellular assays known in the art.In various embodiments, cells from a non-human animal of the presentinvention are immortalized and maintained in culture indefinitely (e.g.,in serial cultures).

In various embodiments, cells and/or non-human animals of the presentinvention are used in a survival and/or proliferation assay (e.g.,employing B or T cells) to screen and develop candidate therapeuticsthat modulate human BAFF. Survival of auto-reactive B cells plays animportant role in the chronic pathology of autoimmune diseases, such as,for example, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), therefore, candidateBAFF modulators (e.g., antagonists) may be identified, characterized anddeveloped using cells of non-human animals of the present inventionand/or a non-human animal as described herein. In some embodiments,cells and/or non-human animals of the present invention are used in asurvival assay to determine the number of antigen-specific plasma Bcells in the presence and absence of BAFF.

In various embodiments, cells and/or non-human animals of the presentinvention are used in various immunization regimens to determine theBAFF-mediated functions in the immune response to an antigen. In someembodiments, candidate therapeutics that bind to, or block one or morefunctions of, human BAFF are characterized in a non-human animal of thepresent invention. Suitable measurements include various cellularassays, proliferation assays, serum immunoglobulin analysis (e.g.,antibody titer), cytotoxicity assays, characterization ofligand-receptor interactions (immunoprecipitation assays). In someembodiments, non-human animals of the present invention are used tocharacterize the BAFF-mediated functions regulating an immune responseto an antigen. In some embodiments, the antigen is associated with anautoimmune disease or condition. In some embodiments, the antigen is atest antigen (e.g., ovalbumin or OVA). In some embodiments, the antigenis a target associated with a disease or condition suffered by one ormore human patients in need of treatment.

In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention areused in serum assays for determining titers of double-stranded DNA(dsDNA) autoantibody production for testing the pharmaco-toxicologicalaspects of candidate therapeutics that target human BAFF. In someembodiments, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) autoantibody production innon-human animals of the present invention results from one or moreautoimmune diseases or conditions induced in the non-human animal.

In various embodiments, cells and/or non-human animals of the presentinvention are used to characterize the repertoire and/or specificity ofantibodies generated in an immune response to antigen. In someembodiments, the immune response is characterized by the generation ofautoantibodies that are specific for one or more tissues of a non-humananimal of the present invention. In some embodiments, the therapeuticpotential of compounds or biological agents to modulate BAFF-dependentregulation of the B cell repertoire is characterized and/or developed inin a non-human animal of the present invention.

In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention areused for challenge with one or more antigens to determine thetherapeutic potential of compounds or biological agents to modulateBAFF-dependent regulation of an immune response, including but notlimited to, the specific T cell-dependent and B cell-dependent responsesto a given antigen.

In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention areused in transplantation or adoptive transfer experiments to determinethe therapeutic potential of compounds or biological agents to modulateBAFF-dependent regulation of new lymphocytes and their immune function.In various embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention aretransplanted with human B cells.

In various embodiments, cells of non-human animals of the presentinvention are used to in T cell assays to determine the therapeuticpotential of compounds or biological agents to modulate BAFF-dependentregulation of T cell-dependent response and function. Exemplary T cellassays include, but are not limited to, ELISpot, intracellular cytokinestaining, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction, viralsuppression assays, cytotoxicity assays, proliferation assays andregulatory T cell suppression assays.

In various embodiments, cells of non-human animals of the presentinvention are used in tumor cell growth assays to determine thetherapeutic potential of compounds or biological agents to modulateBAFF-dependent regulation and/or stimulation of tumor cell growth.

In various embodiments, an autoimmune disease or condition is induced inone or non-human animals of the present invention to provide an in vivosystem for determining the therapeutic potential of compounds orbiological agents to modulate BAFF-dependent regulation of one or morefunctions of the autoimmune disease or condition. In some embodiments,the autoimmune condition is an inflammatory condition, for example,arthritis (e.g., collagen-induced arthritis, CIA).

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an in vivo system forthe analysis and testing of a drug or vaccine. In various embodiments, acandidate drug or vaccine may be delivered to one or more non-humananimals of the present invention, followed by monitoring of thenon-human animals to determine one or more of the immune response to thedrug or vaccine, the safety profile of the drug or vaccine, or theeffect on a disease or condition. Exemplary methods used to determinethe safety profile include measurements of toxicity, optimal doseconcentration, efficacy of the drug or vaccine, and possible riskfactors. Such drugs or vaccines may be improved and/or developed in suchnon-human animals.

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an improved in vivosystem for the development and characterization of candidatetherapeutics for use in cancer. In various embodiments, non-humananimals of the present invention may be implanted with a tumor, followedby administration of a candidate therapeutic. The tumor may be allowedsufficient time to be established in one or more locations within thenon-human animal. Tumor cell proliferation, growth, etc. may be measuredboth before and after administration with the candidate therapeutic.Cytotoxicity of candidate therapeutics may also be measured in thenon-human animal as desired.

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an improved in vivosystem for elucidating mechanisms of human cell-to-cell interactionthrough adoptive transfer. In various embodiments, non-human animals ofthe present invention may by implanted with a tumor xenograft, followedby a second implantation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in thenon-human animals by adoptive transfer to determine the effectiveness ineradication of solid tumors or other malignancies. Such experiments maybe done with human cells (e.g., B cell lymphomas) due to the exclusivepresence of human BAFF without competition with endogenous Baff of thenon-human animal. Further, therapies and pharmaceuticals for use inxenotransplantation can be improved and/or developed in such non-humananimals.

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an improved in vivosystem for maintenance and development of human hematopoietic stem cellsthrough engraftment. In various embodiments, non-human animals of thepresent invention provide improved development and maintenance of humanstem cells within the non-human animal. In various embodiments,increased populations of differentiated human B and T cells are observedin the blood, bone marrow, spleen and thymus of the non-human animal. Invarious embodiments, non-human animals of the present invention providean increase in the level of engraftment of human hematopoietic stemcells as compared to non-human animals that express both endogenousnon-human Baff and heterologous (e.g., human) BAFF.

Non-human animals of the present invention provide an improved in vivosystem for maintenance and development of human B cells (e.g., fromhuman donors) through engraftment. In various embodiments, non-humananimals of the present invention provide improved development andmaintenance of human B cells within the non-human animal. In variousembodiments, increased populations of differentiated human B cellspost-immunization are observed in one or more of the blood, bone marrow,spleen or a lymph node of the non-human animal. In various embodiments,non-human animals of the present invention provide an increase in thelevel of engraftment of human B cells as compared to non-human animalsthat express endogenous non-human Baff.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are provided so as to describe to those ofordinary skill in the art how to make and use methods and compositionsof the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of what theinventors regard as their invention. Unless indicated otherwise,temperature is indicated in Celsius, and pressure is at or nearatmospheric.

Example 1. Humanization of an Endogenous Non-Human B-Cell ActivatingFactor (Baff) Gene

This example illustrates exemplary methods of humanizing an endogenousgene encoding B-cell Activating Factor (Baff) in a non-human animal suchas a rodent (e.g., a mouse). Human BAFF is known to exist in severalvariant (or allelic) forms. The methods described in this example can beemployed to humanize an endogenous Baff gene of a non-human animal usingany human variant (or allele), or combination of human variants (oralleles or fragments thereof) as desired. In this example, a human BAFFgene that appears in bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) cloneCTD-2355n18 is employed for humanizing an endogenous Baff gene of amouse.

A targeting vector for humanization of an extracellular region of a Baffgene was constructed using bacterial homologous recombination andVELOCIGENE® technology (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,251 andValenzuela et al., High-throughput engineering of the mouse genomecoupled with high-resolution expression analysis, 2003, Nature Biotech.21(6):652-659). An exemplary process for humanization of an endogenousBaff gene of a mouse is set forth in FIG. 2.

Briefly, a human bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone CTD-2355n18(Invitrogen) was modified to delete the 3′ flanking region of the humanBAFF gene starting at approximately 206 bp 3′ of the human BAFF gene.The modification was performed by homologous recombination in bacterialcells using a targeting vector containing a self-deleting neomycincassette flanked by recombinase recognition sites (e.g., LoxP; see U.S.Pat. Nos. 8,354,389 and 8,518,392, both of which are herein incorporatedby reference) and a unique AsiSI restriction site positioned at the 3′of the cassette. The resulting modified BAC clone was modified in asecond homologous recombination step in bacterial cells using aspectinomycin cassette to delete sequence 5′ of the human BAFF gene andexons 1, 2 and approximately 3146 bp of intron 2. The spectinomycincassette contained a unique I-CeuI site 3′ of the spectinomycincassette. Therefore, the double modified human BAC clone contained, from5′ to 3′, a spectinomycin cassette, an I-CeuI site, approximately 35,303bp of human genomic sequence containing most of human BAFF intron 2,human BAFF exons 3 to 6 and approximately 206 bp of human sequence 3′ ofhuman BAFF exon 6, and a self-deleting neomycin cassette flanked by LoxPsites, and a 3′ AsiSI site.

Separately, a mouse BAC clone RP23-351L20 (Invitrogen) was modified tospecifically insert the modified human BAC clone described above. In afirst step, a hygromycin cassette flanked by site-specific recombinaserecognition sites (e.g., Frt) was used to delete the sequence containingexons 3-6 and part of exon 7 of a mouse Baff gene. The 3′UTR andpolyadenylation signal was retained. The hygromycin cassette includedunique I-CeuI and AsiSI restriction sites at flanking 5′ and 3′ ends,respectively. Homologous recombination in bacterial cells with thehygromycin cassette resulted in a ˜25,148 bp deletion in the mouse Baffgene corresponding to exons 3-7, leaving intact ˜3069 bp of the mouseBaff intron 2. The 3′ end of the hygromycin cassette was targeted toapproximately the middle of the 3′ UTR of the mouse Baff gene (of exon7) in BAC clone RP23-351L20. The modified mouse BAC clone having adeletion of mouse Baff exons 3-6 and 7 (in part) from homologousrecombination with the hygromycin cassette was modified in a second stepusing the modified human BAC clone having a deletion of human BAFF exons1-2 and ˜3146 bp of intron 2. This was achieved by through the uniquerestriction enzyme sites common between the two modified BAC clones.Each modified BAC clone was digested with I-CeuI and AsiSI to producecompatible cohesive fragments (FIG. 2). The final targeting vector, madeby ligation of the compatible restriction fragments, contained, from 5′to 3′, mouse genomic sequence containing mouse Lig4 and Abdh13 genes,˜14.5 kb of mouse genomic sequence, exons 1 and 2 of a mouse Baff gene,˜3069 bp of intron 2 of a mouse Baff gene, an I-CeuI site, ˜35.3 kb ofhuman genomic sequence containing exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene, aself-deleting neomycin cassette flanked by recombinase recognitionsites, an AsiSI site, part of a mouse Baff exon 7 that included a 3′UTRand polyadenylation signal, and mouse genomic sequence 3′ of a mouseBaff gene.

The final targeting vector was used to electroporateBALB-Rag2^(−/−)IL2Rγc^(−/−) (DKO) mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells tocreate modified ES cells comprising a Baff gene at an endogenous Bafflocus that is humanized from approximately the middle of intron 2 of amouse Baff gene (˜3000 bp 3′ of splice donor site) to approximately 100bp 3′ of the polyadenylation site of a human BAFF gene that was insertedinto approximately the middle of the 3′UTR of a mouse Baff gene (FIG.1). Positively targeted ES cells containing a humanized BAFF gene wereidentified by an assay (Valenzuela el al., supra) that detected thepresence of the human BAFF sequence and confirmed loss of mouse Baffsequences. Table 4 sets forth the primers and probes that were used toconfirm humanization of an endogenous Baff gene as described above.hBAFF: human BAFF; mBaff: mouse Baff.

Positive ES cell clones were then used to implant female mice using theVELOCIMOUSE® method (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,294,754 and Poueymirouet al., FO generation mice that are essentially fully derived from thedonor gene-targeted ES cells allowing immediate phenotypic analyses,2007, Nature Biotech. 25(1):91-99) to generate a litter of pupscontaining an insertion of exons 3 to 6 of a human BAFF gene into anendogenous Baff gene of a mouse. Mice bearing the humanization of exons3 to 6 of an endogenous Baff gene were again confirmed identified bygenotyping of DNA isolated from tail snips using a modification ofallele assay (Valenzuela et al., supra) that detected the presence ofthe human BAFF gene sequences. Pups are genotyped and cohorts of animalsheterozygous for the humanized Baff gene construct are selected forcharacterization.

TABLE 4 Name Location Primer Sequence (5′-3′) mBaff-1 mBaff ForwardGGACAGCAGATAGGAAAGCTTCTTG intron 2 SEQ ID NO: 8 ReverseGGGACGGACACTCATTTGAC SEQ ID NO: 9 Probe TAGGAATCCCAGTCCTTAGAACCGCASEQ ID NO: 10 mBaff-2 mBaff Forward CCTCGGGAGAATGCACAGAT exon 7SEQ ID NO: 11 Reverse GCACTCCAGCAAGTGAGTTAC SEQ ID NO: 12 ProbeTCACGCAACGGAGACGACACCTT SEQ ID NO: 13 hBAFF-1 hBAFF ForwardCCGGTTGGCATTTCTGGCTTAG intron 2 SEQ ID NO: 14 ReverseGGCTGGATGGTCAAGTTCTACA SEQ ID NO: 15 Probe TTCCAGGCTGTAACATGAGTGTTGGASEQ ID NO: 16 hBAFF-2 hBAFF Forward ACACCAGACAGGTGACTTAGGAA intron 5SEQ ID NO: 17 Reverse GCTCCTGGGTGCAAAGGTA SEQ ID NO: 18 ProbeTGCGAAAGTGTAGGCGCAAACC SEQ ID NO: 19

EQUIVALENTS

Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of thisinvention, it is to be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatvarious alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occurto those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, andimprovements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and areintended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawing are by way of exampleonly and the invention is described in detail by the claims that follow.

Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in theclaims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote anypriority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or thetemporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are usedmerely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain namefrom another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinalterm) to distinguish the claim elements.

The articles “a” and “an” as used herein in the specification and in theclaims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understoodto include the plural referents. Claims or descriptions that include“or” between one or more members of a group are considered satisfied ifone, more than one, or all of the group members are present in, employedin, or otherwise relevant to a given product or process unless indicatedto the contrary or otherwise evident from the context. The inventionincludes embodiments in which exactly one member of the group is presentin, employed in, or otherwise relevant to a given product or process.The invention also includes embodiments in which more than one, or theentire group members are present in, employed in, or otherwise relevantto a given product or process. Furthermore, it is to be understood thatthe invention encompasses all variations, combinations, and permutationsin which one or more limitations, elements, clauses, descriptive terms,etc., from one or more of the listed claims is introduced into anotherclaim dependent on the same base claim (or, as relevant, any otherclaim) unless otherwise indicated or unless it would be evident to oneof ordinary skill in the art that a contradiction or inconsistency wouldarise. Where elements are presented as lists, (e.g., in Markush group orsimilar format) it is to be understood that each subgroup of theelements is also disclosed, and any element(s) can be removed from thegroup. It should be understood that, in general, where the invention, oraspects of the invention, is/are referred to as comprising particularelements, features, etc., certain embodiments of the invention oraspects of the invention consist, or consist essentially of, suchelements, features, etc. For purposes of simplicity those embodimentshave not in every case been specifically set forth in so many wordsherein. It should also be understood that any embodiment or aspect ofthe invention can be explicitly excluded from the claims, regardless ofwhether the specific exclusion is recited in the specification.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate typical standards of deviationor error attributable to values obtained in assays or other processesdescribed herein.

The publications, websites and other reference materials referencedherein to describe the background of the invention and to provideadditional detail regarding its practice are hereby incorporated byreference.

1.-21. (canceled)
 22. An isolated mouse cell or tissue whose genomecomprises a replacement of a mouse genomic fragment comprising exons 3-6of an endogenous mouse B-cell Activating Factor (Baff) gene at anendogenous mouse Baff locus in the mouse ES cell, with a human genomicfragment comprising exons 3-6 of a human BAFF gene to form a humanizedBaff gene, wherein the coding exons of the humanized Baff gene consistof exons 1-2 of the endogenous mouse Baff gene and exons 3-6 of thehuman BAFF gene, wherein the humanized Baff gene is under control of themouse Baff promoter at the endogenous mouse Baff locus and encodes ahumanized Baff protein comprising an extracellular portion of the humanBAFF protein linked to an intracellular portion of the mouse Baffprotein encoded by the endogenous mouse Baff gene, wherein theextracellular portion of the human BAFF protein is at least 98%identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in amino acids 142 to285 of SEQ ID NO: 5, and wherein the mouse cell or tissue expresses thedhumanized Baff protein.
 23. The mouse cell or tissue of claim 22,wherein the extracellular portion of the human BAFF protein consists ofamino acids 142 to 285 of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 24. The mouse cell or tissue ofclaim 22, wherein the humanized Baff protein consists of the amino acidsequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
 7. 25. A cell or tissue isolatedfrom a mouse, wherein the mouse genome comprises a replacement of amouse genomic fragment comprising exons 3-6 of an endogenous mouseB-cell Activating Factor (Baff) gene at an endogenous mouse Baff locusin the mouse ES cell, with a human genomic fragment comprising exons 3-6of a human BAFF gene to form a humanized Baff gene, wherein the codingexons of the humanized Baff gene consist of exons 1-2 of the endogenousmouse Baff gene and exons 3-6 of the human BAFF gene, wherein thehumanized Baff gene is under control of the mouse Baff promoter at theendogenous mouse Baff locus and encodes a humanized Baff proteincomprising an extracellular portion of the human BAFF protein linked toan intracellular portion of the mouse Baff protein encoded by theendogenous mouse Baff gene, wherein the extracellular portion of thehuman BAFF protein is at least 98% identical to the amino acid sequenceas set forth in amino acids 142 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein themouse expresses the humanized Baff protein, and wherein the cell ortissue comprises the humanized Baff gene.
 26. The mouse cell or tissueof claim 25, wherein the extracellular portion of the human BAFF proteinconsists of amino acids 142 to 285 of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 27. The mouse cellor tissue of claim 25, wherein the humanized Baff protein consists ofthe amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
 7. 28. A targetingvector, comprising a human genomic fragment comprising exons 3-6 of ahuman BAFF gene, flanked by a 5′ nucleic acid sequence and a 3′ nucleicacid sequence, wherein the 5′ nucleic acid sequence comprises (i) about14.5 kb mouse genomic sequence upstream of exon 1 of a mouse Baff gene,and (ii) exon 1 and exon 2 of the mouse Baff gene, wherein the 3′nucleic acid sequence comprises a mouse genomic sequence 3′ to the mouseBaff gene, wherein the 5′ and 3′ nucleic acid sequences mediateintegration of the human genomic fragment into a mouse Baff locus whichresults in a replacement of a genomic fragment of the mouse Baff gene toform a humanized Baff gene, wherein the coding exons of the humanizedBaff gene consist of exons 1-2 of the mouse Baff gene and exons 3-6 ofthe human BAFF gene, wherein the humanized Baff gene is under control ofthe mouse Baff promoter at the mouse Baff locus and encodes a humanizedBaff protein comprising an extracellular portion of the human BAFFprotein linked to an intracellular portion of the mouse Baff proteinencoded by the mouse Baff gene, and wherein the extracellular portion ofthe human BAFF protein is at least 98% identical to the amino acidsequence as set forth in amino acids 142 to 285 of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 29. Thetargeting vector of claim 28, wherein the extracellular portion of thehuman BAFF protein consists of amino acids 142 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 5.30. The targeting vector of claim 28, wherein the humanized Baff proteinconsists of the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7.